Have you been to the beach? (English experience)

[cuccir]

We live in Durham - we're about half an hour's drive from the coast, and we've got a 3 year old who'd love a trip there.

We ummed and ahhed a lot today about a trip, and decided that on such a hot day (24 degrees in the north-east), and with data that many of our coastal locations near us (South Tyneside, Sunderland, Hartlepool) are among the worst-affected areas by covid-19, we decided against.

However we know our local coast well - we have walked the coast from Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders to Whitby in North Yorkshire - and have a sense of where would be quiet and where would be busy. We're minded to make a trip one day between Friday and Monday, picking a quiet spot and going in the morning to avoid any crowds. We think that doing that, we're pretty confident we could find places where soical distancing is possible.

But I'm interested in your experiences: have you been to the beach since restrictions in England relaxed? Do you live in a coastal location? How busy was it/has it been? Are we fools to think we'll find it quiet? Our weather forecast is for mild but not hot weather beyond tomorrow so this is not like planning to go on a day when it's 20+....

 

[Qwerty133]

This weekend will not be the time to go considering it is a bank holiday weekend meaning places are automatically busier.

 

[cuccir]

This weekend will not be the time to go considering it is a bank holiday weekend meaning places are automatically busier.

If you go to a resort or place with facilities. But there are lots of places outside of resorts which are pretty quiet on an average Bank Holiday. What I'm interested in really is how busy places have been to how they usually are: if you've gone somewhere busy, was it as busy? If you've been somehwere usually quiet, was it as quiet?

Locally - we'd be obvisouly ****s to go to Tynemouth or South Shields on the weekend. But the coast is long and there are many other places to visit.

 

[alex397]

Yes, I went yesterday, along the Kentish coast not far from where I live. I went in the early morning, so there was hardly anyone around, and it's a stony beach which isn't quite as popular as others in Kent. If it was busy, I would have gone back home. I must say I did feel a bit uncomfortable - it just didn't feel right at this moment. Not sure I'll do it again soon, but I don't see a problem with it if it's quiet.

I have a friend who lives in Camber - thousands were at the beach today and the car parks were all full. No public toilets open either, so I doubt my friend will want to walk amongst the dunes anytime soon!!. There are also quite a few vulnerable people living in Camber, who need to use the local shops, which these ignorant tourists have been using, having travelled from around the country. The local council say they and the police are powerless as technically no one is breaking any rules (although surely they could close the beach and car parks to discourage people?). Elsewhere, Devon Police were fining people. It's clear that the authorities don't really know what to do!

 

[cuccir]

Yes, I went yesterday, along the Kentish coast not far from where I live. I went in the early morning, so there was hardly anyone around, and it's a stony beach which isn't nice as popular as others in Kent. If it was busy, I would have gone back. I must say I did feel a bit uncomfortable - it just didn't feel right at this moment. Not sure I'll do it again soon.

I have a friend who lives in Camber - thousands were at the beach today and the car parks were all full. No public toilets open either, so I doubt my friend will want to walk amongst the dunes anytime soon!!. There are also quite a few vulnerable people living in Camber, who need to use the local shops, which these ignorant tourists have been using, having travelled from around the country. The local council say they and the police are powerless as technically no one is breaking any rules (although surely they could close the beach and car parks to discourage people?). Elsewhere, Devon Police were fining people. It's clear that the authorities don't really know what to do!

Thanks: that's very useful

 

[185143]

Yes, I went yesterday, along the Kentish coast not far from where I live. I went in the early morning, so there was hardly anyone around, and it's a stony beach which isn't quite as popular as others in Kent. If it was busy, I would have gone back home. I must say I did feel a bit uncomfortable - it just didn't feel right at this moment. Not sure I'll do it again soon, but I don't see a problem with it if it's quiet.

I have a friend who lives in Camber - thousands were at the beach today and the car parks were all full. No public toilets open either, so I doubt my friend will want to walk amongst the dunes anytime soon!!. There are also quite a few vulnerable people living in Camber, who need to use the local shops, which these ignorant tourists have been using, having travelled from around the country. The local council say they and the police are powerless as technically no one is breaking any rules (although surely they could close the beach and car parks to discourage people?). Elsewhere, Devon Police were fining people. It's clear that the authorities don't really know what to do!

Allegedly the fines were for people causing an obstruction by parking on the road.

 

[Bedpan]

We've started venturing out a bit since the VE day bank holiday, we hadn't been away from the house for recreation at all since mid March nor have we been into any shops other than that I had to go to Boots to pick up a prescription three weeks or so ago.

Would I go to a supermarket? Not if I could help it. If we really needed to I might go to a farm shop sort of place but we haven't been to a supermarket since mid March, a week before the lockdown.

Would I go to a beach? Why not, if it is reasonably empty ie nobody within 10 metres or so. Surely no different to sitting in our garden with neighbours sitting in theirs, and people walking up and down the road outside, and far safer than walking along a public footpath and having to pass somebody where the width is limited.

The problem we are facing about going out for the day is toilets. It looks like I am officially allowed to drive anywhere in the country, and in the countryside (and we wouldn't want to visit a town yet) I can of course nip into a field and go behind a hedge if I need to, but what is my wife supposed to do? We were out for about 4 hours today and "managed" okay but pre March there would have been plenty of public toilets, pubs and cafes open where a call of nature could be answered if necessary.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

My middle daughter took my mother in the car out to Lytham-St Annes and they walked and went on the beach Last weekend.

 

[NeilCr]

I live on the East Kent coast

My daily walk (although fairly early I admit) takes me along the promenade and into town (Ramsgate) by the marina. It has been very quiet - even when I met my partner at Saturday lunchtime I was surprised at the lack of cars and people around

Speaking to friends though other parts of the area are much busier. Margate Main Sands and parts of Broadstairs had quite a lot of folks and cars yesterday. Before then some of the quieter and less known beaches (like the one at Westgate) had traffic - that probably suggests locals rather than day trippers

I remain somewhat perplexed that I can go with my partner to a crowded beach or park but cannot sit with her in her back garden - somewhere I would regard as much safer

 

[Mojo]

There are also quite a few vulnerable people living in Camber, who need to use the local shops, which these ignorant tourists have been using, having travelled from around the country.

What is ignorant about going out in public to enjoy the beautiful British countryside or coastline?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What is ignorant about going out in public to enjoy the beautiful British countryside or coastline?

Nothing. As I have said to another person on FB, we will remember those areas who do not want tourists, and ensure their tourist businesses fail because we will not go there afterwards, either.

The Government have said it is OK. So the toilets, car parks etc need reopening, and vigilanteism by locals is not acceptable.

This is to a fair extent a symptom of the fear the original message has caused (which it wasn't intended to cause) and why the message changed, albeit to a fairly useless one!

The issue about spreading the virus in is now an old one - it's all over the country now anyway, and indeed London now has much lower levels than it did. The city dwellers won't spread it to the locals, they'll take it home with them!

The one thing we are still being asked to do (other than remain 2m apart etc) is not to use public transport for leisure travel, that's all.

 

[NeilCr]

Not sure about ignorant but, speaking as a seaside town resident, the two main issues (Covid or not) arising from day trippers are parking and waste

People seem to want to park as near as possible to where they are going. So, local roads get jammed, there is parking on double yellows, yet some car parks away from the beach are not full

And wastel Here is a view of Margate Main Sands last year

Thanet council confirms criminal investigation – and answers questions- over mountain of waste at Margate sands

Thanet council says a criminal investigation is now taking place over the litter strewn across Margate main sands at the weekend. The authority, which previously confirmed CCTV was being reviewed w…

theisleofthanetnews.com

A particularly bad period but foks leave waste regularly.


Don't get me wrong. Fully support visitors for all the obvious reasons. But, certainly, some are unthinking and selfish

 

[Mcr Warrior]

No. Nearest beach is some distance away from the Greater Manchester area.

 

[nlogax]

Amused to read today of a family who were absolutely perplexed to discover how busy a Dorset beach was during Sunday. They drove an hour and a half to get there. The mother seemed pretty annoyed about the fact that thousands of others had exactly the same idea.. complete lack of self awareness.

 

[Djgr]

We've started venturing out a bit since the VE day bank holiday, we hadn't been away from the house for recreation at all since mid March nor have we been into any shops other than that I had to go to Boots to pick up a prescription three weeks or so ago.

Would I go to a supermarket? Not if I could help it. If we really needed to I might go to a farm shop sort of place but we haven't been to a supermarket since mid March, a week before the lockdown.

Would I go to a beach? Why not, if it is reasonably empty ie nobody within 10 metres or so. Surely no different to sitting in our garden with neighbours sitting in theirs, and people walking up and down the road outside, and far safer than walking along a public footpath and having to pass somebody where the width is limited.

The problem we are facing about going out for the day is toilets. It looks like I am officially allowed to drive anywhere in the country, and in the countryside (and we wouldn't want to visit a town yet) I can of course nip into a field and go behind a hedge if I need to, but what is my wife supposed to do? We were out for about 4 hours today and "managed" okay but pre March there would have been plenty of public toilets, pubs and cafes open where a call of nature could be answered if necessary.

Toilets are available at:
Motorway services
Large petrol stations
Large supermarkets
and local councils are starting to reopen public toilets (e.g. North Norfolk)

 

[Djgr]

I live in a coastal area. As you would expect beaches are busier than normal but if you avoid the obvious honeypots there are no problems. Cafes are starting to offer take aways

I have been walking every day since lockdown and in my experience social distancing is very much the norm everywhere except in the Daily Mail.

 

[alex397]

What is ignorant about going out in public to enjoy the beautiful British countryside or coastline?

Nothing ignorant with that.

But it seems ignorant to me to go to a packed beach right now. In these current times, if you drove to a beach where there is a traffic jam to get into the car park, and crowds of people packed on to the beach, surely the sensible decision would be to avoid the place and go elsewhere. It boggles the mind that anyone would want to go to a packed beach right now. Surely people can use some common sense?
On top of that, there are no public toilets open, only a few tiny shops to buy anything, and currently no lifeguards at quite a potentially dangerous beach (Camber has had some tragic incidents over recent years).

Nothing wrong with going to enjoy the countryside or coast, as I have done, but common sense would tell me to avoid busy areas.

 

[alex397]

Nothing. As I have said to another person on FB, we will remember those areas who do not want tourists, and ensure their tourist businesses fail because we will not go there afterwards, either.

The Government have said it is OK. So the toilets, car parks etc need reopening, and vigilanteism by locals is not acceptable.

This is to a fair extent a symptom of the fear the original message has caused (which it wasn't intended to cause) and why the message changed, albeit to a fairly useless one!

The issue about spreading the virus in is now an old one - it's all over the country now anyway, and indeed London now has much lower levels than it did. The city dwellers won't spread it to the locals, they'll take it home with them!

The one thing we are still being asked to do (other than remain 2m apart etc) is not to use public transport for leisure travel, that's all.

It seems a bit childish to avoid areas which warned against visiting during a pandemic! . It's still really early days of returning back to normal, and understandably people are still very concerned about this. The peak has only recently come, and there is potential for a second peak.

The issue about spreading the virus is not an old one, it's still a current concern. Saying 'it's all over the country anyway' is really not the point. Some city dwellers may have it and may still spread it to locals.

 

[Ianno87]

We spent a couple of pleasant late-afternoon hours at Walton-on-Naze beach yesterday. Deliberately picked as likely to be quiet... which it was, and not a problem with social distancing at all.

Had also considered Felixstowe, but we'd picked up that was probably going to be quite busy, so we avoided.

Quite obvious; don't go to the first place you think of... just think about where is likely to be quiet, go there, and avoid the 'busy' times/days.

 

[Djgr]

It seems a bit childish to avoid areas which warned against visiting during a pandemic! . It's still really early days of returning back to normal, and understandably people are still very concerned about this. The peak has only recently come, and there is potential for a second peak.

The issue about spreading the virus is not an old one, it's still a current concern. Saying 'it's all over the country anyway' is really not the point. Some city dwellers may have it and may still spread it to locals.

Except with outside social distancing it's virtually impossible.

 

[NeilCr]

I'd agree with Djgr

That's my impression too. My partner took her grandchild (who lives with her) to the beach in Ramsgate yesterday afternoon - she said it was quietish when she got there but steadily built up. They left when it looked like it was getting a bit too much. Her granddaughter likes to run around and is a bit too young to get social distancing

certainly - from the pictures from some beaches - social distancing could be difficult

 

[westv]

certainly - from the pictures from some beaches - social distancing could be difficult

Although some pictures exaggerate somewhat due to the camera foreshortening.

 

[NeilCr]

Westv

Oh yes - for sure. But I still rather suspect there are issues out there.

 

[cuccir]

I have been walking every day since lockdown and in my experience social distancing is very much the norm everywhere except in the Daily Mail.

I like that quote.

. As I have said to another person on FB, we will remember those areas who do not want tourists, and ensure their tourist businesses fail because we will not go there afterwards, either.

My concern is not so much the beaches or the countryside itself, but the 'pinch points': car parks, toilets, gateways, entrances, where social distancing becomes impossible if very busy. This thread reinforces my hunch that the only responsible way to visit rural or coastal destiantions, in the next 4-8 weeks at least, is to avoid settlements as much as possible, and honeypot destinations completely.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It seems a bit childish to avoid areas which warned against visiting during a pandemic!

If they did it politely. However, it seems quite clear that some areas contain plenty of people who simply don't like tourists, and so those areas will not receive my custom (or if I do go there I'll do my best to avoid spending money). It's the "F-off" signage, vigilanteism etc I'm on about, not Councils politely asking people if they wouldn't mind reining it in, or Police stopping people and asking them if they wouldn't mind reconsidering as it's already busy.

The issue about spreading the virus is not an old one, it's still a current concern. Saying 'it's all over the country anyway' is really not the point. Some city dwellers may have it and may still spread it to locals.

And vice versa. It's almost died out in London. It is no longer about protecting villages from Londoners. It made sense when there was risk of overwhelming small hospital facilities in those places. It doesn't now.

Fundamentally, if you hate tourists move away from tourist areas. It's not like they haven't been tourist areas for hundreds of years. You do not have to live where you were born, you do have a choice.

 

[Jayden99]

Just took a drive to the Costa del Bognor, busy yes but perfectly simple to stay away from people even in car parks and things. It could very well.be a different story at more popular places like Brighton. I think , like someone said up thread, people need to be sensible with where they go, assume the likes of Brighton and Margate will be rammed

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just took a drive to the Costa del Bognor, busy yes but perfectly simple to stay away from people even in car parks and things. It could very well.be a different story at more popular places like Brighton. I think , like someone said up thread, people need to be sensible with where they go, assume the likes of Brighton and Margate will be rammed

Yes, I'm deliberately avoiding places I think will be busy as I can't be bothered with busy places, COVID or not.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Yes, I am considering going to the beach at least for a change of scene. I know plenty of quiet beaches that I can access by car so I don't have to use public transport. I can take a flask of coffee, bottle of water and a packed lunch. I have really missed my sea walks and I hate the crowds anyway, which is why I usually prefer the beaches in the winter. A change of scene and a nice walk by the sea is great for improved mental health

 

[Djgr]

Yes, I am considering going to the beach at least for a change of scene. I know plenty of quiet beaches that I can access by car so I don't have to use public transport. I can take a flask of coffee, bottle of water and a packed lunch. I have really missed my sea walks and I hate the crowds anyway, which is why I usually prefer the beaches in the winter. A change of scene and a nice walk by the sea is great for improved mental health

And this is EXACTLY what the UK government is encouraging us all to do. We have to get out from under our beds sometime. Preferably when there is still some economy remaining.

 

[arbeia]

I consider myself lucky. I live by the seaside and it doesn't hold any great pull as it is always there. So I go to the countryside, like today, and only saw one other person, a nice gentleman to pass a 20 minute conversation with. No crowds to contend with.